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Coach of the Year: Todd Fairlie

Delcofootball.com’s first Coach of the Year award goes to Todd Fairlie of Episcopal Academy.

Fairlie, 28, took the Churchmen from a three-win squad in 2011 to the top team in both the Inter-Ac League and Delaware County.

The Churchmen claimed the Inter-Ac championship and went 10-0.

Under Fairlie’s tutelage, Episcopal Academy outscored its opponents, 368-35. Fairlie coached four All-Delco players this year in Daily Times Player of the Year Adam Strouss, LT Jack Florio, WR/DB Ian Strain and DE/TE Evan Butts.

ABOUT TODD FAIRLIE

A product Marple Newtown and Widener University, Fairlie is the youngest head coach in Delaware County. Served as an assistant to Bill Gallagher from 2008-10 before taking the helm. Made his name in local athletics as a four-time collegiate All-American at Widener in lacrosse. Also an All-Delco during his H.S. playing days.

QUOTABLE

“They (his players) realize the importance of working hard and going after it this year because this was their last chance to do something great. I think everyone knew what we were capable of. That was pretty evident from the first day with this senior class. They wanted to be good. They knew they would be good.”

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About mattsmith

Matt Smith is an award-winning local sports writer for the Delaware County Times. A Delco native, Matt's covered local, pro and college sports at the Delco Times since 2006.
In 2013, he won a Pennsylvania Keystone Press Award for Best Sports Coverage. He was runner up for a similar award in 2009 and also nominated 2011.
Follow him on Twitter @DTMattSmith

9 thoughts on “Coach of the Year: Todd Fairlie”

I know he instilled a very strong work ethic and intense environment that went well out outside the season – and especially over the summer and with year-round conditioning. This was something the kids had not been used to, but they bought into it due to Fairlie’s leadership and motivational skills.

He also wanted to make it fun, and because of his young age as a former college football player and as someone who still plays sports like lacrosse at the highest level I think he really related to the players.

The hope and expectation is that this is the start of more good things to come. EA is a small school that has never really focused on football, but that is no excuse for not putting a quality team on the field.

While 10-0 is great, that’s not the expectation every year – though I won’t complain if it happens every now and then! This was a very special year where the stars lined up with a great coach and players who put lightening in a bottle.

However, I am confident Coach Fairlie has EA football in the right direction as being a team that competes for the I-A title year in and year out, while also continuing to be a top team in Delco going forward. With a coach like this, and given the quality of the school and its overall environment – and especially with all the new facilities (academic and athletic) at the new campus, I think a lot of kids and their parents will show an interest in EA for its academics, the top-notch faculty and school mission that really molds character and values while teaching important life lessons, and its sports teams – which now includes a real quality football coach and program.

And, congratulations to Coach Lennox, Coach Vosheski and Coach Grugan for the great jobs they did this year!